Are You the Ducati 899 Panigale?

With the 2013 EICMA show just a couple months away, it is unsurprising to see next year’s bikes cropping up on the internet — case in point, this photo of the Ducati 899 Panigale.

Rumored since the Ducati 1199 Panigale broke cover two years ago, the Bologna Brand’s supersport-class sport bike appears to be mostly as expected, though it is surprising to see Ducati fitting a standard-style swingarm to the machine instead of continuing its iconic single-sided design.

Expected to be a 2014 model year machine, the Ducati 899 Panigale should be good for north of 150hp at the crank — though it’s not clear if the 899 designation (which is mostly a work of the associated press) will reflect any material increase in the engine’s displacement.

We can expect to see the baby Panigale with a boat load of electronic packages though, with ABS and traction control practically guaranteed to be on the offering. It is also likely that we will see Ducati’s engine braking control (EBC) and selectable riding modes make it onto the Ducati 899 Panigale’s feature list.

As expected, lower-spec suspension and braking components can be seen in the photo, as well as the same wheels found on the base model 1199. There is of course no word on pricing at this point in time, though we hope that the 899 doesn’t receive the same sizable bump in price like the 1199 did over the 1198.

Despite his best efforts, Jensen is called one of the most influential bloggers in the motorcycle industry, and sometimes consults for motorcycle companies, whether they've solicited his expertise or not.